I picked this up because I was going through a reader's block and wanted something quick and chirpy to read. Saw this on a list somewhere and expected it to be like a Wattpad smut novel. Wasn't disappointed on that front to be honest, because it truly seemed like something a 14/15 year old me would pick up when wanting to read some smut. 

Somehow it was not truly smut, and not truly a rom-com. It was too stupid and at times boring to be a rom-com. In fact there was no 'com' only 'rom' that surrounded around meaningless sex that sprung out of daddy issues and power dynamics and then somehow translated into love and ends on pregnancy. By the end of the book my face was all scrunched up, because what I was reading was ridiculous. 

If you're reading this for the sex, the sex scenes are decent. Repetitive but gentle. If you're reading this for romance- if you're above 18 just skip this one, if not, you can probably read it but don't expect it to be mind-blowing. 

I didn't particularly hate the book but I am also not sure if I liked it much. I found the buildup to the horror climax very draggy and didn't find the climax horrific in any way. A little creepy, a little weird but mostly dramatic with a lot of unnecessary components. All in all, the book was readable, but nothing too enjoyable. 

I headed into this book thinking it would be a compilation of erotic stories set in conservative backgrounds, but this was so much more! 

This had all elements to make it a quintessential all-round entertainer. It was empowering, it was funny, it was mysterious, it was romantic and it was thrilling. 

Started off a bit slow for me, but a couple of chapters down and i had a hard time putting it down! The ending was also a bit too dragged with the book being stretched out more than it should've been, but nothing the book does not make up for throughout.

If you were to ask me what my current favourite book is, it probably won't take me even a second to say it's this one. Everything about this book is perfect - the writing, the pace, the plot, the way it unfolds-so slow, yet not once losing your attention.
Perfect, absolutely perfect book. 

Arundhati Roy has a beautiful way with words, and that undoubtedly can be seen throughout the book, however, to me it seemed that she went a little overboard this time with long, tiring descriptions that almost seemed unnecessary. That is also what made this book a very difficult one to read.

Other than that, the book beautifully intertwines the struggles that the various minorities in India- gender minorities, religious minorities, caste minorities etc. have faced throughout the history of India and continue to face even today.

The parrelism between the various struggles of India, and the various struggles of the Indians often ignored and overlooked will almost well up your eyes at times, fill you with rage, with a longing for justice- but oftentimes the overly flamboyant descriptions suck the intensity out of those moments. 

I am glad I picked this book up because it is informative and stirs your emotions, but i will also be honest, i almost gave up on this book many times.